The protests in Ferguson escalated again Monday night after a small group of protesters reportedly began throwing Molotov cocktails at police and firing live ammunition, prompting a heavy-handed response from law enforcement officers. At least two people were reportedly shot and multiple people arrested in the melee.

The now-nightly clash started anew Monday afternoon, when protesters reportedly began throwing bottles at police officers. MSNBC's Chris Hayes was also targeted and pelted by rocks during a live broadcast later that night.

According to CNN producer Steve Kastenbaum, police told reporters a handful of violent protesters prompted police to respond by firing immense clouds of tear gas, LRADs, and stun grenades at the crowd of protesters and reporters.

According to Kastenbaum and other reporters, the "small group of violent protesters" were responsible for the gunshots and may have started fires around the neighborhood.

Capt. Johnson later told CNN that police responded after protesters became "agitated."

"Protesters became large and agitated … and several of the groups tried to get media attention and agitated the response. When police stepped in, they began to throw frozen water bottles at officers," Johnson said.

"The crowd began to walk past the designated area for protesters … and then they turned back. When a large group got to our area, they became agitated and one threw an explosive device on the ground," he said.

Around midnight, VICE's Tim Poole reported hearing the "large successions of live fire" audible on the above clip from VICE's livestream. According to CNN, at least two people were shot in the melee.

Don Lemon's live broadcast was interrupted by police officers, who attempted to shove him out of the way as cameras rolled. And according to reporter Trey Yingst, police officers "lobbed a tear gas canister into a group of journalists" around 9:25 pm.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's David Carson, at least 12 people were arrested in a truck in Canfield, near where Michael Brown was shot. Carson reports police confiscated at least two pistols and a Molotov cocktail incident to the arrests.

Around midnight, SWAT officers also forced members of the press out of the main protest areas, claiming the live gunfire and escalated response was a threat to their safety.

But even as the media began to pull out early Tuesday morning, residents continued to report violent police clashes.